Antioch Art Series: Faces that are never seen…

Faces We’ve Seen…

The paintings and other visual images of African-American Women in museums here and around the world have been largely ignored. African-American artists , both male and female, remain unknown to the general public. You have to make an effort to find the names of extraordinary African-American visual artists, Elizabeth Callett, Edmona Lewis, Lois Mailou Jones , Augusta Savage and many others.

Faces We Know…

I made an effort to paint subjects that are unknown, but represent an important segment of the population, African-American women, who live, work and (sometimes) died without making a headline in the news or an important invention. Yet their contribution was just as great, they are and continue
be part of the glue that holds our society together.

About the Artist

Ardella Reliford was born in the Delta region of Holly Springs, Mississippi and raised in Terre Haute, Indiana on a small farm. She was the first in her family to attend college. She started her educational journey at Indiana State College majoring in Commercial Art and Art Education, and then finished up her degree in Art Education at Central State University.

After graduating, Reliford taught Art for a number of years in Dayton, Ohio public schools as well as area charter schools. She is also published author with her novel, Lacroix, in 2000 and her illustrated children’s book, Mr. Peevy Forgets, in 2001 she Currently, she is continuing her education with the pursuit of her master’s degree in Special Education at Antioch University Midwest.

Reliford believes that “art transcends cultural boundaries and reflects the innermost aura we all posses” and it is shown through her work. Reliford specializes in using recyclable items to create her art and uses a variety of mediums. In addition to the more traditional art mediums, she likes to experiment on “uncommon surfaces” such as a pancake griddle or a clothes iron to create art.